Adjustable slitter for printing presses and the like



Oct. 17, 1944. J DAVlDSON 2,360,653

ADJUSTABLE SLITTER FOR PRINTING. PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28,1941 A INVENTOR JOHN A. DA V/DSO/V BY am I ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 17,1944 ADJUSTABLE SLITTER FOR PRINTING PRESSES THE LIKE John A. Davidson,Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 28, 1941, Serial No. 381,187

2 Claims.

This invention relates to slitters and perforators particularly adaptedfor use on printing 7 presses of the off-set type and the like.

When sheets are being printed on presses of the indicated type, it ispreferred to slit or perforate said sheets as they pass over theimpression cylinder. In accomplishing this operation, reat care must beexercised not to injure the cylinder by scoring or in any other manner.Also great difiiculty is encountered in positioning the slitter orperforator with respect to the printed sheet and this difiiculty ismagnified when several such devices are simultaneously employed.

The invention, therefore, has for its primary object the provision of aslitter or perforator which can be micrometrically positioned so as toslit or perforate accurately along the line desired and with an exactdegree of pressure whereby proper slittin or perforating is had withoutdanger to the impression cylinder. Another object of the invention is toprovide a slitting or perforating device which may be roughly positionedwith respect to the impression cylinder of a press and thenmicrometrically and accurately adjusted to operate along a designatedline and at a proper pressure.

The invention is further characterized by the simplicity of itsstructure, the ease with which it may be applied to a press, andassurance that, once set, it will maintain its position untilreadjusted.

With the foregoing and many other objects, features, and advantages inmind reference is now made to the accompanying drawing in which apreferred embodiment of the invention is illus trated, the followingspecification being based thereon.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a slitter or perforator incorporating thefeatures of the invention, and shown partly in cross-section;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view as taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 2.

Presses of the indicated type are provided with a member 5 in the formof a rod or tub which is positioned in spaced relation to the impressioncylinder shown at 6.

The slitting or perforating device, as at present contemplated,comprises a housing 1 arranged to be clamped on the bar 5 as by means ofthe clamp member 8 pivotally connected to said housing at 9 and lockedby the screw or bolt means ID.

The housing 1 is preferably formed with a slideway H for a cutterholding unit l2 which is longitudinally movable therethrough. The cutterholding unit may comprise the slide 13 at one end of which is rotatablymounted a cutter M which may be a slitter orperforator, and which isprovided atthe other end with a threaded stud I5. The latter portionpreferably protrudes through an opening l6 formed ina wall ll of thehousing 1. A compressionspring H3 or other suitable means may bearranged around the stud l5 and confined between the wall I! and theslide l3 to urge the cutter holding unit in a direction towards theimpression cylinder 6.

In order to control the longitudinal position of the cutter holding unitand for accurately locating the edge of the cutter M with respect to thesurface of the impression cylinder, an adjusting nut I9 is provided.This nut is preferably made in the form of a hand manipulatable memberhaving a threaded seat 20 for the stud I5 and held by the spring I 8against the housing wall H. In order to obviate creeping of the nut I9and to provide a means for determining the end-wise adjusting movementof the cutter holding unit, a detent 2| having successive en agementwith a plurality of circumferentially arranged depressions 22, which areformed in the housing wall [1 is provided.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the edge of the cutter may beaccurately positioned with respect to the impression cylinder to give adesired degree of cutting pressure, and that, knowing the pitch of thescrew thread on the stud l5, and counting the clicks of the detent, theforward or retracting movement of the cutter may be accuratelyascertained so that the adjusted position of the cutter may be known. Ifdesired, a scale may be provided to disclose both the movement of thecutter with respect to the housing or of the impression cylinder and therotational movement of the nut l9. Thus, in the manner of a micrometer,an accurate reading of the cutter position with respect to the surfaceof the impression cylinder may be had. 7

The device is also provided with means for adjusting the cutter to adesired position along the length of the impression cylinder. For thispurpose there is preferably provided a rack 23, which by means of clamps24 may be secured to the bar 5. The rack, in this manner may be roughlypositioned.

The housing I is provided with a Worm 25 or other suitable member havingengagement with the rack 23, said worm being disposed in a bore 26 insaid housing and said rack being preferably relatively movable in apassage 21 formed therein. The worm 25 may be provided with extensionshaving bearing in the housing, and one or both of said extensions may befurther extended as at 28 and formed for cooperative engagement with anadjusting tool for rotating said Worm.

In order to accurately locate the cutter along the impression cylinder,the clamp 8 is eased by loosening the screw or bolt means ID to free theslide housing for longitudinal movement along the tube 5. A suitabletool is then applied to the extension 28 to rotate the worm 25 which,because of its engagement with the rack 23, causes traverse of thehousing I along the bar 5. When the cutter M is accurately positionedalong a desired point of the impression cylinder, the clamp 8 istightened and the tool removed.

From the foregoing it is evident that a simple and highly efficientdevice has been provided for universal adjustment of a slitting,piercing or perforating cutter. However, the principle of theinventionas herein disclosed may be incorporated in structures varyingin arrangement and proportion from the illustrated form of the inventionWithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention ashereinafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a housing having aslideway and a. plurality of circumferentially-arranged depressions, amember adapted for movement in said slideway, a cut ter on said member,means engaged between said housing and said member for urging saidcutter in a direction away from said housing, screw means, manuallyoperable means attached to said screw means for drawing said member andsaid cutter towards said housing, and means associated with saidmanually-operable means adapted for successive engagement with saiddepressions.

2. A device of the character described comprising a housing having aslideway and a plurality of circumferentially-arranged depressions, amember adapted for movement in said slideway, a cutter on said member,means engaged between said housing and said member for urging saidcutter in a direction away from said housing, screw means, manuallyoperable means attached to said screw means for dramng said member andsaid cutter towards said housing, said screw means comprising a threadedstud carried by said memher, a nut engaged with said stud and detentmeans between said nut and said housing adapted for successiveengagement with said depressions for maintaining said nut in adjustedposition.

JOHN A. DAVIDSON.

